By Way of Sorrow

Gigl’s enjoyable debut and series launch introduces criminal defense attorney Erin McCabe, an intelligent and resourceful protagonist with an unusual backstory. One day in 2006, 28-year-old William Townsend Jr., the son of a U.S. senator who’s “a big player down in South Jersey,” is found stabbed to death in a sleazy hotel outside Atlantic City. The cards are stacked against Sharise Barnes, the Black, transgender, teenage prostitute who’s arrested for the crime. Sharise admits to killing Townsend, but claims it was in self-defense. With the aid of an FBI agent, Erin searches for witnesses to support Sharise’s self-defense claim and for clues to what led Townsend to his death. Slowly a pattern emerges, one that the victim’s wealthy, well-connected, and politically savvy father will do anything to keep buried. Erin’s ability to navigate the intricacies of the law is just as fascinating as the subsequent perils she encounters. Gigl, an attorney, offers some enlightening insights into the workings of the legal world. [em]Agent: Carrie Pestrito, Laura Dail Literary. (Mar.) [/em]